10th anniversary thread for 9-11

[southsider2k5]

Hopefully this won't need to be Bustered, but let's hear it... What do you remember from 9-11? what changed in you? what will you be doing to remember 9/11? etc.

[Milkman delivers]

I will be flying on Sunday

[BigSqwert]

I remember going on my first business trip out of college to Long Island. Our team was planning to visit the Twin Towers that week on Wednesday. We were stuck on the island for a couple of days until the ferries resumed service. We saw the smoke from ground zero as we crossed on the ferry. Wound up driving home back to Chicago.

[Jenksismyhero]

I was a sophomore in college working my student job at my school's library. I remember someone coming up to my little department and saying there had been a terrible accident and that a plane had hit the one tower. I remember getting on cnn.com and checking out what happened, thinking it was just some terrible, unfortunate accident. Then in what, like 10-15 minutes the second tower was hit and I knew something was up. The head librarian pulled up a tv and turned the news on and everyone stopped working/studying to watch. Probably 20-30 people huddled around the tv. I remember people gasping and being in utter disbelief when the towers actually fell about an hour later. I think my boss at the time basically said, go home, we're not going to finish work today. The rest is sort of a blur since I was basically glued to a tv watching 24/7 news coverage for the next week. I do remember one vigil that was held in the middle of our campus. I went to Illinois Wesleyan, which is pretty small (2k student body), and it seemed like nearly everyone showed up to light a candle and pray or have a moment of silence. It was pretty moving.

 

It's pretty mind boggling to me that it's been 10 years already. Seems like about 3-4 years max.

 

 

Edit: Oh and I'll remember that my parents were flying back home that morning from California. I don't really remember ever being concerned that something happened since the news was pretty quick about reporting where the flights originated from. But it was a tense few hours before I heard from them. They were diverted to Colorado and were stuck there for a few days. I remember my dad telling me how crazy the air bases were in Colorado Springs. Lots and lots of air force activity going on. They eventually had to take a rental car and drive back to Chicago.

Edited September 7, 2011 by Jenksismybitch

[Iwritecode]

I was at work when it happened. Throughout most of the day I got all of my information from the internet and the radio that we had on in the background. I don't even think I got to see much video of it until I got home.

 

We didn't get to leave early and I even had to work at my second job that night from 6 to 10:30.

 

I remember in the days that followed how weird it was to look up and not see a single plane in the sky.

[NorthSideSox72]

I was working remotely in Memphis that day, so I wasn't in the downtown Chicago office of my company, which was evacuated.

 

But on a really creepy note... there was a conference going on, on the top floors of one of the towers, hosted by Cantor Fitzgerald. It was on some Fin Tech stuff. A couple people at my company were invited to go, they passed, then myself and another person were invited. We discussed it, decided to pass as well. Weird to consider I could have been up there on the Cantor floors when it happened.

 

My company did lose 3 people on 9/11.

 

I remember in the days that followed how weird it was to look up and not see a single plane in the sky.

 

That was truly one of the strangest parts. Only planes I saw were the occasional fighter jets running CAPS. Unsettling.

[DukeNukeEm]

I really think I remember it being worse than it really was. But I guess that's just how these things work.

[GoSox05]

I remember when the buildings fell and that really freaking me out. The whole thing was bad enough, but I really didn't think the buildings would fall down like that.

 

[IlliniKrush]

Nice piece from SC over the weekend:

 

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6929979

[clyons]

For some reason, I woke up late that day. The first I heard of it was on the WXRT news on my clock radio. When they said a plane had crashed into the WTC, I assumed it was just a Cessna or another light craft.

 

I'm not sure what made me turn on the TV, since I was already late for work. I remember it was tuned to ABC, from my having watched the MNF game the night before. My first thought upon seeing the smoking tower was, "that's going to be tough to fix."

 

I watched the second plane hit Tower Two live as it happened (and I am now getting goose flesh as I type this). That's something I still think about more often than I'm sure is good for me.

Edited September 8, 2011 by PlaySumFnJurny

[Brian]

I was still unemployed since graduating the May before. Woke up to shower without turning my TV on and the radio in the bathroom was on The Score but it was a news report. I thought I had the wrong station, not really listening to what they were saying, and changed the station but than heard that a plane "accidently flew into the WTC".

Thinking how odd it was, I went to my room and turned on the TV and like 5 seconds later, the 2nd plane hit live. Biggest WTF moment of my life.

 

I was working part time at a golf course that is right next to the Waukegan airport up here, and like other, was odd for th enext few days not hearing planes.

[OilCan]

Year one of being married. Living in Luling TX. On the way to work to my Recruiting job. Listening to 93.7 KLBJ, where the morning show, Dudley and Bob, were airing a prior-made skit, when they broke in and said that "a plane just crashed in the WTC."

 

At first I thought it was a small commuter plane, I'm thinking, who the heck couldn't miss that big building?

It was about 7:58 approx CT.

Then when I was getting on I-10 to head to New Braunfels TX, Dudley & Bob cut into the ABC News Feed...the interviewer was interviewing someone who witnessed the first plane going in, and then in the background, you can hear the explosion of the 2nd plane going into the second WTC. My immediate thought "that was no accident."

 

Got to work, had eight interviews that day to do, one every hour. Skipped lunch. We all looked like little puppy dogs with our tails between our legs. We could see what we were watching/hearing, but we just didn't comprehend WHAT WAS GOING ON.

 

 

[Quin]

I was sick, 3rd grade.

 

Was leaving my dad's office to go to my grandma's when on Mike and Mike, Greeny said what happened.

 

I didn't understand the gravity of that day until later in the day. I didn't know the World Trade Center buildings, terrorists, etc. existed.

 

Then, my innocence died. And I cried.

[fathom]

I was a student at University of Illinois during that time, and it was crazy there as rumors were spreading around campus that the terrorist were targeting the university due to the "Super Computer" that the school was famous for. One of the smartest decisions of my life took place that night when I convinced my father not to go to Ground Zero to help with the search and rescue, as I told him to be careful about a second wave attack. That attack didn't take place, but we all know about the health issues that people at Ground Zero have faced since.

[OilCan]

Nice piece from SC over the weekend:

 

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6929979

 

 

A true hero.

[hogan873]

I was in the Coast Guard at the time. I remember sitting at my desk when someone said a plane hit one of the Towers. I immediately thought it was a small plane. But soon enough I heard about the second plane. We all gathered in the conference room and watched the news coverage until our CO chased us out and told us our lives have just changed dramatically.

 

My job changed in an instant. Our main focus became being ready for another attack. We went to 24 hour watches and started patrolling the lakefront and rivers looking for suspiscious behavior. Those of us who had watch duty would get some very interesting phone calls, especially in the first few days afterwards. I remember one woman calling and saying there was a barge on the river that was full of gasoline (there are always many barges on the rivers carrying flammable liquids). She said it seemed like a good target for a terrorist. Then we'd get the calls, over the phone and radio, of people saying they were going to blow up the Coast guard stations or whatever.

 

I was supposed to leave active duty two months after the attacks. Needless to say I had to stick around a bit longer. I got out in January but was called back to active duty in May. I spent four months on active duty just doing 24-hour watches.

 

It's hard for me to remember how things were right after the attacks, in general I mean. The attacks are very vivid, but the year or so after just seems like a blur. Our lives changed so much in so many aspects, but now it just seems like that's the way it's always been.

[Milkman delivers]

I know this is a tangent, but how surreal was it when the Cory Lidle accident happened? I remember heard that a plane crashed into a New York City building and thinking, "Not this again." Then finding out that it was a small passenger plane, and eventually that it was Lidle at the wheel.

[Jenksismyhero]

I know this is a tangent, but how surreal was it when the Cory Lidle accident happened? I remember heard that a plane crashed into a New York City building and thinking, "Not this again." Then finding out that it was a small passenger plane, and eventually that it was Lidle at the wheel.

 

I had the same thought when that plane landed in the Hudson. I thought passengers successfully fought off an attack and the pilot was able to land the plane safely.

[Milkman delivers]

I had the same thought when that plane landed in the Hudson. I thought passengers successfully fought off an attack and the pilot was able to land the plane safely.

 

I don't remember thinking that one, but I don't believe I even heard about it until all of the facts were in. I also remember worrying when I heard about the IRS building in Texas at first.

[southsider2k5]

To this day when I see a plane flying over downtown Chicago, I stop and watch it.

 

Anyways, for me, I was still working on the floor of the Options Exchange on 9/11. I had come down from our office and was sitting in the lunchroom reading the Trib with some buddies before going upstairs for the open, as was the routine. After the first plane hit, someone came down from the trading floor, and told some people sitting close to us about the the "accident". We overheard so we went up to our pit, and stood and watched the coverage. We watched the second plane hit. One thing I remember well is how quiet it was. A place like that is almost always buzzing with some sort of noise. It was so quiet, you could hear the time clocks clicking off the time at the various surrounding crowds. A couple of minutes after that they evacuated the trading floor and sent everyone out on to Financial Plaza. By then the rumors about the plane that ended up crashing in Shanksville were going on. The rumor was that the plane was taking aim at the Sears Tower. Where were we all standing? About two blocks from the Sears Tower. At that point our Jr partner of Chicago trading told us all to go home. He had already guessed their would be no trading that day, and he said there wasn't any point in sticking around. I ended up riding the Metra back to Beverly with one of my good friends instead of waiting for the South Shore which wasn't supposed to leave for hours. I listened to the stories about car bombs at the Pentagon and rumors of missing planes for the car ride home, along with the fall of the towers.

 

It is still surreal. The markets didn't open again for 5 days, and I pretty much spent the entire five days in front of TVs and computers just devouring information on the attacks. The first day back to work, along with the woman who sang God Bless America back at the first Sox game again stand out vividly as amazing moments.

[kjshoe04]

I was a sophomore in high school. Seemed like a movie to me. I didn't have any really big emotional feelings maybe because I was about 15. That or I'm some kind of monster.

[Quin]

www.ocregister.com/sports/angels-316308-day-going.html

 

Good write up.

[kjshoe04]

I enjoy how the author of that article says the towers were reduced to rumble.

[The Sir]

I was in ninth grade and had moved back to the states after returning from spending several years abroad only a month before. In fact, my plane landed in NYC the previous month and I saw the towers in the distance. It was the only time I ever saw them.

 

That morning, Mrs. Collins, the intro to algebra teacher, walked out for the longest time. I had been out of American schools for a while, and this was only a few days into the school year. And at the school abroad, teachers would often walk out of the class in order to have smoke breaks. I didn't think much about it, and figured that was simply the case (yeah, bizarre assumption looking back on it).

 

She came back in and was very solemn. She eventually spoke up and I'll never forget what she said. She asked who among us knew who Osama bin Laden was. I was always a curious child and I knew a good deal about him for a 14 year old, pre 9/11. So I raised my hand and so did one or two others. She then explained that there had been terrorist attacks in DC and New York. I asked if anyone died. She said, "I don't know how it could have been avoided."

 

I didn't really talk to anyone that day. I sat alone at lunch. There were all kinds of stupid rumors that I overheard. The State Department was destroyed (as though the State Department were a physical entity that could be theoretically destroyed) and the White House was on fire etc. I didn't really want to hear any of that nonsense from a bunch of goofy teenagers who couldn't have recognized the Pentagon. The truth was hard to come by all day because the school was on lockdown due to being situated in an area with a heavy military presence. However, as ignorant as some of the stuff being said was, it was very clear to everyone that world had changed forever that day.

 

It wasn't until the final class of the day that Mr. Graninger, my one armed tyrant of an English teacher, cleared everything up. He revealed for the first time everything that is so deeply seared on our national conscience today. I don't think those details need to be recounted here.

 

I went home and turned on the TV with my brother. My dad came home and joined us. It was on every channel. ESPN, MTV, everywhere. You couldn't get away from it and, in a way, you would've felt bad if you tried to. We ate dinner in silence as the TV continued in the background. It was just the worst thing ever. My eyes well up just thinking about it, and I think I'd feel like a monster if they didn't.

 

I wish there was some concise conclusion I could offer to the story. As if it ended and we all went on with our lives, remembering the dead in gracious commemorations on the anniversary and building a memorial at the site. But it's not that simple. The world changed that day. More than when Obama was elected or more than when Osama got fed to sea creatures or any of that. It was the defining day of my young generation.

 

And in spite of the death and the horror and the tragedy, there was a certain beauty in the way America responded. The way people showed up for blood drives en masse, and worked tirelessly at Ground Zero, and helped each other for a change. People of all races, creeds and political beliefs came together in a way that we hadn't seen before and haven't seen since. It was a tragic day, but the American people really united in that moment and proved again why we are the greatest nation on Earth.

 

May all those who perished on that day rest in eternal peace, and God bless America.

Edited September 10, 2011 by God Loves The Infantry

[Quin]

I enjoy how the author of that article says the towers were reduced to rumble.

 

You truly are heartless.